1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a keyswitch assembly, and particularly to a keyswitch assembly for constructing a computer keyboard.
2. The Prior Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a prior art keyswitch assembly 10 for constructing a computer keyboard is shown. The keyswitch assembly 10 consists of a plastic cap 12 adapted to receive an external force from a user of the computer, a plastic scissors-like link 14, a metallic mounting plate 16, a conductive rubber 18, a plastic base plate 22, and a circuit membrane 20 attached to the base plate 22. The circuit membrane 20 has an electrical circuit 21 thereon. The mounting plate 16 is formed by stamping with a number of mounting units 23 (only one shown) each consisting of two pairs of brackets 24 for supportively engaging with two feet 142 of the corresponding link 14. The mounting plate 16 further defines a number of holes 25 (only one shown) each being within a corresponding one of the mounting units 23 for extension of an upper portion of the corresponding conductive rubber 18 therethrough to drivably engage with the cap 12. The link 14 has four upper studs 144 supportively engage with the cap 12. When the cap 12 is depressed, the rubber 18 is pressed to cause a corresponding switch on the circuit 21 to close, whereby a signal representing the corresponding key is input into the computer.
Such prior art key assembly 10 has a disadvantage that once a bracket 24 of the mounting plate 16 is improperly formed or damaged whereby it cannot correctly engage with the link 14, the mounting plate 16 should be entirely discarded, which is very unfavorable in view of the cost. Unfortunately, since a computer keyboard has more than one hundred keys, which result in the necessity of more than four hundred brackets formed on the mounting plate 16, the possibility that one of the brackets 24 is improperly formed or damaged is relatively high.
Furthermore, a die for stamping so many brackets on a single metal plate is expensive.
Hence, an improved keyswitch assembly for constructing a computer keyboard is needed to eliminate the above mentioned defects of the current art.